Learning your place
by The-Year-of-the-Dragon
Summary: Lance and Ilana are having a little trouble adjusting to the new planet and choose to pick fights with each other instead.


_"Learning your place"_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Sym-bionic titian or any of the characters._

_Rating R (some sex)_

_Summary: Lance and Ilana are having a little trouble adjusting to the new planet and choose to pick fights with each other instead._

_Ilana tugged down her shirt and ruffled up her bangs as she did one last once over in the bathroom mirror. __Perfect. __She thought as grinned to herself. She turned on her heels._

_Her smile faulted._

_Lance apparently found it in himself to wake before noon, but not get dressed or… take a shower. His dark hair hung in this darkly rimmed eyes. His lips curled into something that could be called a wolfish smirk (or smile if you squint)._

_"Morn.'" He growled out as he stepped past her and the bathroom slammed shut ending their conversation._

"Good morning to you too." She huffed.

Octus greeted her with a plate of wedged apple slices in the shape of a smiley face. Her day was back on track.

School always left Ilana dissatisfied. The human teens were an odd breed uninspired, unobservant, and obsessed with honestly frustrating things. Did clothes, cars, friends, and dating really mean that much? In her opinion, these were minor distractions left the school fractioned and the teen incapable of uniting.

She huffed and watched the crowd of girls that had surrounded Lance. Some wore the mark of rank the cheerleading uniform.

"Honestly, what do they see in him?"

"Shiny dark hair, bedroom eyes, a rebel without a cause attitude but- "

"We have covered that theory." She snapped, regretting her actions continued.

"He is grungy, abrasive, and… moreover, what does he see in them?"

"They are attractive young women with many assets and they are…"

Her teeth grinded as Newton /Octus listed what was so great of the about these female humanoids.

"Besides he is just assimilating to the culture." His speech finished.

Lance finally glanced at the pair and ran his fingers through his hair as he returned his attention to the blonde girls. One stuck out her chest even more.

Ilana huffed and glanced away from him. _Fine._ "I think I'm going to go study."

She gracefully rose off the bench to only trip over her own betraying bag; Newton/Octus tried to catch her arm but she managed stumbled on her own feet.

"I'm fine." She snatched the bag off the ground and stomped away head held high ignoring that Lance was halfway between the crowd and her table.

Lance sighed as he stood next to Newton/Octus.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She was going to go study. Most humans study in the library, so logically she would want to study there." Newton/Octus reported in that annoying chipper voice.

"Hmph." Lance shifted his weight from foot to foot this would take some research.

Nobility prided itself on justice and caring for its people but for every ounce of good intentions they made it up by being petty, jealous and vindictive, and Lance knew this better than most.

Ilana hadn't spoken to him for the better part of the day- which suited him just fine, thanks for asking- and when she finally did come around she just threw open his bedroom door and stomped to his bed. Apparently, working out was not anything important or anything, neither was privacy.

_Twenty-five, Twenty-six, Twenty-seven, Twenty-eight… _

"Lance."

He grunted tugging himself up once more, and she took that as permission to go on.

"I have been thinking, if we are going to be here for so long, I should try and assimilate more. Obvious clothing isn't the answer. I think I should join an activity or a club of some sort."

_This can't be good._ He wiped the sweat from his face and tugged himself once more.

"Cheerleading seemed like a good option. They are having tryouts next week."

"No." He dropped to the floor and began working on his push-up regiment.

"But."

"No."

She stuck her nose in the air. "Octus said I had a bubbly personality and this may be a chance for me to move up the social hierarchy."

"No."

She rose and stomped her foot.

"I don't think it is your place to decide."

"Then why did you ask me." He growled.

The princess covered her tracks. "I-I wasn't asking you. I was just informing you that there will be a schedule change."

"Really? Well, you could just leave a note or tell Octus to tell me if you are just _informing me_." Lance fumed and pushed himself up again.

"Next time, I will tell him to tell you. Goodnight!" The door slammed.

"YOU COULD AT LEAST LEARN TO KNOCK!" He yelled after the blazing blonde. He already lost count of how many push-ups, so he might as well burn all possible bridges.

Her slamming door gave him and answer and the things she threw against the wall they shared were her final thoughts.

_The cheerleaders will be glad to inform her why she can't be with them. _He cringed thinking of her inevitable rejection. _At least she won't we wearing that uniform._ He finally fell to the ground. The carpet despite having a musty odor was a comfort.

The words echoed in his head _"I don't think it is your place to decide."_ He flipped onto his back with a grunt.

She was wrong about that. He did have his say and could decide.

Ilana found that her day was wrecked and her sleep was disturbed all because of that brute.

However, she could not let her plan for re-assimilation into human society be derailed by him and his negative attitude. As the humans say 'the show must go on' and she was going to prepare for her own show. Which would be amazing she was sure.

She wore the prefect outfit for working-out and 'cheerleading' it consisted of black short shorts hot pink tank top with a matching pink head band. _The epitome of bubbly cheerleader. _She happily thought as she preened one last time.

When it was time to work the obvious plan was to get blood pumping. She bounced around in her room to the music. She shook her hips to the left then right and waved her arms around. Her heart pounded in time to the bass of the song.

_This is going to be easy. _She threw her hip out far to the left which showed the fullness of her hips for emphasis. She could not help but check herself out in the mirror. _Really easy._

It was really easy, until she tried to come up with a routine to showcase her 'skills,' and after attempting to do another cartwheel that landed her on the floor with a painful thump. Ilana realized it was time to get reinforcements.

She slipped quietly out of her room, down the hall, a quick tip-toe down the stairs and she arrived in the kitchen all this and she managed to avoid any brutes who want to put her down. _The wolf is probably still sleeping in his den. _She thought to herself as she approached the cooking man.

"Octus." The older man turned to her. "What does your database say about cheerleading routines?" She whispered as she rubbed her tender shoulder.

Lance had woken a while an ago first when the music thumped through the walls. He managed to drowned it out (a benefit of being a highly trained solider being able to sleep anywhere through anything), but her crashing around with the little cries of "GIVE ME A- OWWW" really just ruined any chances of sleep.

Some part of him wanted to run in and just stop her but a high pitched voice of a brat always reminded him "_It's not you place" _and that always managed to convince to roll over and ignore the crash. _She obviously has the problem handled._

Despite his best efforts to ignore the princess he really couldn't help but listen when she tip-toed past his door and down the hall. His curiosity had really gotten the better part of him, but he forced himself to wait. He slipped from the warmth of his sheets in favor of pacing the room in his plaid sleepwear.

The clock slowly ticked away the minutes and his pace increased. He glanced at the clock once more. _Can that thing go backward?_ He debated it for a second but just shook his head. His long bangs fell into his eyes.

He needed a plan, every war had a plan… it was nearing lunch and he did require sustenance…_ Perfect. _Lance smiled as he stepped out of his room and padded down the hall. He resisted the urge to stay on the balls of his bare feet. _I am in my prefect right to walk around the house. _He justified quietly in his mind.

He glanced around the front hall and then the living room. Ilana and Octus were not in sight. His shoulders rolled forward. The kitchen exploration was much more successful. He munched on cereal. He swore (like he did most morning) these round circles of grains they call cheerios were the best thing these humans invented. He had to find a way to suggest this to the army chief on Galaluna…. _Back to the primary mission. _

Lance scanned the room. There was discarded food in the sink so Octus had been here a while ago. He casually carried along his breakfast as he stealthy leaned toward the sunlight. He looked out the windows that revealed the backyard.

_Figures. _Octus was helping her. He was standing next to her holding out his arm. She copied his move and then moved to clap and stomp a foot. She kept lifting the wrong foot and the whole thing was only more ridiculous watching a disguised Octus go through the routine.

_She has no chance._ He thought as he lifted the spoon to his lips. She bounced around adding her own moves to the basic routine and only succeeded only making the scene more ridiculous but her moves had not been the real focus of the munching Lance. _Those shorts are… short. _His mind redundantly informed him.

He slipped away from the window and refocused his energy on eating. He left to go finish the patrol around the house with his trusty companion.

It had been two weeks of training and beside the bruises (which she was tempted to blame on Lance and his whole challenge) Ilana felt good about herself and her progress. She watched the whole series called "Bring it on" (for inspiration) and worked out each day.

She stretched her calves and stood with the rest of the girls who were trying out. She defiantly had the most spirit. Her outfit was composed of all school colors, and her headband/earring combo was the perfect. The rest looked uncoordinated and ready to the go to bed in those sweatpants.

Newton/Octus gave her thumbs up as he passed heading off to his own club. A math-lete club.

She smiled and stretched the other calf.

Lance showed up to just shake his head and walk on by despite the girls calling him over. She stuck her tongue out at him as she reached for the floor with both hands.

Things had been a little tense between them at home but like a wolf licking his wounds he knew better than to approach her. He obviously had accepted his defeat and he hadn't even protested her announcement that today was the big day. He had only been very formal and even slipped in a few "Yes, Princess" in any of their short conversations.

She finished off her stretch by pulling her arms behind her back. Another girl returned after slipping between the gym doors. The look of terror on her face was not a good indication. Ilana quickly reviewed her routine. Her confidence returned and bounced a little closer to the door.

When it was her turn she walked in with a mixture of pride and anxiety. _They will just look at me and ask me to join._ She reaffirmed. _Now, Let's BRING IT ON!_

"Name?" A busty blonde asked as she looked over the form that was snapped on a clipboard.

"Ilana Lunis." She chirped.

"Right. Did you bring your own music?" She tapped her pen on the board.

"Um… No" Ilana confessed. "But I assure you I will be fine."

A blonde eyebrow arched up. "Cocky. Alright start."

Her mind blanked. "Um… now yes… now…sure." She chattered too quietly to herself and she backed away from the panel. Ilana body covered for her mind and she shifted into her first position.

Lance had settled into his post. He propped up his foot casually on the locker below his. To any by stander he probably looked like any average loitering teen, not that he was waiting for her to come his way. Really, it was strategic positioning since Octus/Newton's club was meeting at the room at the end of the hall and this was the most efficient way for her happen to pass his way.

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned more fully against the cool metal of the wall of lockers. His expression just oozed the "I'm too cool for school" attitude.

The sound of footsteps broke him of his loitering act. He glanced up in time to see her green eyes rimmed with red as tears formed and welled.

He knew her defeat would be bad but he really did not want to see her so distressed. All Lance wanted was to watch her optimist bubble to be temporary popped not this.

She raced into his arms with a soft cry of "Lance". His heart lurched as he held the small young woman, and with every shake of his shoulders his anger bubbled up. After a few more shakes he was ready to snap off the heads of blonde bimbos, but that meant leaving Ilana for an extended period of time (he would have to find a good place to hide the bodies). So, for now, he settled on holding her.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled against her blonde hair. He didn't care that her head band was digging into his neck. "I shouldn't even…"

His words of comfort began to drip out of his mouth at an alarming rate. Tons of "sorry's" and "hush's" fell right out. Lance went on emptying his mind and sadly a thought leaked out that he really should have kept to himself when around a lady of such a delicate disposition.

"I told you so." He mumbled sweetly he tugged her in closer. "It was just foolishness to begin with and then I baited you to continue."

His endless dribbling stopped when the blonde froze in his arms.

"Whaph?" She asked muffled by his shirt and chest.

_Oh no…_ he thought but his mouth kept running off like a spring of water.

"I told you so." He repeated as softly as possible that she would not hear him..

She pushed away from his chest with a hard shove and the tears magically disappeared, and they were replaced with anger and something Lance couldn't identify but knew he should fear.

"You told me so."

"I told you so." He repeated dumbly as his mind blanked while looking for a proper explanation. _Why can I lead squadrons but not talk to her?_

"You really think that?" She snapped.

"Um… yes" _NO! _He mentally cried, but it was too late. He debated how mad she would be if he just walked away to go find a plumber because his mouth was a leaky faucet that he couldn't turn off.

She slapped his chest as hard as she could but it didn't do much damage. This surprised the lady because she paused a second before doubling her efforts and began striking his chest with her little balled up fists.

"Well, the joke is on you!" She venomously declared with another audile slap to his chest. "I made it! I'm on the team."

Lance blinked and caught her wrist to stop her abuse.

"What?"

"I'm on the junior varsity. I am a replacement and they called me "trainable" but I am on the team. I will get my uniform tomorrow at practice…" She rambled on for a second longer but Lance stopped listening as he attempted to digest the information. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm himself.

"THEN why were you crying?" He barked cutting off the string of babble.

"I was happy I made it. You mistook my tears for the reaction you wanted to see. Then it became a test of how much faith you have in me." She took a breath and curtly added "which you failed." She smiled at him with all the smugness a woman could muster at having trapped a man in his own words.

Now that was enough for Lance. He still held her wrist and used his grip to reverse their positions, so her back was against the lockers. She was trapped and she had nowhere to go.

He snarled at the wide-eyed girl. Her mouth was agape her flawless lips were still frosted pink and making a perfect little "O." He took another deep breath and let go of her thin wrists. His joints in his finger protested at the release.

Her surprise gave way to the stubborn anger as she quickly rubbed her wrist. They were unmarked which was a good sign.

"I didn't really want you opinion." She whispered harshly as her hands began to wring each other.

"Then why did you testme?" He growled.

"It doesn't matter." She dismissed his question with a quick wave of her small hand. Slowly, Ilana slipped to her right to get out of his reach.

"I'm going to inform Octus." She didn't wait for his approval as she made a quick retreat. She practically ran around the corner.

Lance kicked the unlucky locker that was beneath his. It left a satisfying dent in the shape of his shoe. The pain that radiated from his toes began to dissipate as he walked away from the scene.

Fresh air would do him some good.

The next few days passed in silence and Ilana was glad that the corporal realized he had overstepped his bounds. At least she now knew that rumors were most certainly true that he was dog, a highly trained junkyard beast, and now he had the guts to bare his teeth at her. She would not stand for it.

It had been a pleasant day and Ilana stood before her bedroom mirror surveying her new look. She rearranged the pleats of her new uniform. It was wonderful to be in uniform again! It was just like life on Galaluna it was just one glance and you knew her rank. Uniforms were great equalizers but they are useful for setting the ranks apart when it comes to soldiers and nobility.

There was power in her current outfit, and now all students, male and female, acknowledged her status. The girls who once ignored her now nodded their heads as she passed and boys who once would have had no second thoughts about shoving her into a locker as they rushed around now cleared a path and smiled.

Her new found peace was not without costs. Her companionship at home was less than satisfactory. Octus seemed out of sorts as he tried to take care of both teens (if care meant helping Ilana practice and leaving out cheerio boxes and fruit for lance), and Lance had found a lot of time to patrol and sulk on the roof like a gargoyle (or whatever he did in his free time).

_Lance. _Thinking of his name, not rank, was dangerous. She froze in thought and her fingers on instinct rubbed the hem of her skirt between her fingers.

She could still feel those dark eyes burning into her, and the way his hands gripped her wrist so tight. She released the fabric that she twisted into a folded knot.

The heat had crept up her neck and threatened to overtake her. Ilana shook her head trying to remove all thoughts of that dog, but a sense of dread sunk in. She knew something was wrong with her room it was the same sickly feeling you get when like someone had come in moved your stuff but you can't place what they actually touched. She could feel eyes watching her.

She glanced up in the mirror in time to see a figure slide out. Ilana shivered as she walked to her door.

A quick inspection of the hall yielded nothing other than dread. She shut the door quietly and went to change out her uniform and into her pajamas.

She slipped the large t-shirt tomato over her head. It was like a short version her old night gown only larger, baggier and redder. The fabric grazed about mid thighs and was on the side of comforting rather than 'hot'. Lance probably would have died laughing at the thing. She blushed thinking of him again.

_This is getting ridiculous. _She sighed resting her head against the palm of her hand. _I'm ending it. _The only way to take down a wolf was to face it first. She can't spend the rest of their time her on Earth getting those weird feelings of somewhere between scared of him and strangely entranced. She had never fought with a man like that before in her whole life. _Besides, he is just a corporal. _She reminded herself. _Not a suitor or anything more than a bodyguard and I better make sure he knows that._

She slipped out into the hall and toward his den. She doubted he was asleep but he could be working out and that was not something she needed to see. A shivered whipped down her spine. She stiffened and mustered all of her royal airs and briskly knocked on the door.

She counted back from three if he didn't answer by then he was probably out and she should just go back to her room and get some sleep, but he opened the door right as she reached the end of her mental countdown.

His expression was the same sour look he had for the last few days. Something between I'm-bored-with-you and I-just-drank-some-orange-juice-after-chewing-five-sticks-of-spearmint-gum-and-I'm-going-to-throw-up-now.

"May I come in?"

"At least you learned to knock." He swung the door wide open.

"Least I'm not as rude as you." She retorted without a second thought.

He slammed his door shut as part of his witty repartee, or at least that is what she guessed. Her heart raced a little faster as he turned back to face her.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"To talk."

"About?" His tone was formal but he circled closer to her.

"I think your recent attitude has been out of line." Ilana's head bobbed in agreement with her own statement

A dark eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"You have been sulking."

"You have been parading around in that skirt."

"My skirt is fine." Ilana stood straighter. A nerve had been hit. _Why was he looking at the length of my skirt._

" It doesn't even cover your…" He cut off his statement with a sigh. "Out." He pointed back at the door.

"You can't order me about." Ilana snapped.

"It is MY room. Now out." He stared at her hard "Or I will put you out." He looked somehow taller but that did no stop a princess on the war path.

"You did not just say that."

He looked a taken back for a moment, and shook his head. "Out."

Ilana couldn't stop her hand, it just happened. Her palm struck across his check with a painful snap. Despite the pain she felt, she did not flinch, and neither did Lance.

"You should learn your place, corporal." Her words hit like a second slap.

He caught her wrist.

"And you should learn yours, princess."

Ilana attempted to tug her wrists free but it just led to a short back and forth struggle between the teens. Her green eyes widened with the realization. _He is not letting go. He is not letting... _Her eyes met his dark hungry ones.

Her mind raced with thoughts of calling Octus, but his stare was hypnotic. She found herself leaning into his gravitational pull.

Lance responded in kind by brushing his lips against hers for but a second.

She found her voice and mumbled softly "A princess should be the one in charge, corporal."

"But a man should lead." He rumbled.

The dull ache in her wrist and growing numbness in her fingers brought Ilana back to the real world. Yet, his grip was becoming increasingly tighter.

"Lance, are you going to let go?"

"Are you going to hit me again?"

"Probably."

"Then no." He chuckled and used his grip to tug her closer crushing their lips together. He broke protocol by nipped and tugged on her bottom lip instead of chastely kissing to lead in. It was rough but exhilarating. He broke the kiss.

"But I'll be kind, Princess. Just give up the whole cheerleading thing and I will let you lead." He paused in thought "tonight." His voice dropped lower as he leaned in to kiss along the column of her throat. "Trust me; you will have no more time for that frivolous activity."

"I think you presume to much, Corporal," she purred as he nibbled more on her neck. She groaned and used his grip against him. She slowly turned him around in a slow circle (the world was spinning so much already) so when she shoved him back he landed on the end of the bed with her one top and in control.

The teens gasped as she was fully introduced to his thinly shielded hardness. He finally released her wrist only to reach for more available and valuable skin. His hands tugged up the end of her shirt so he could capture her thighs. His long fingers dug into the underside of the tender flesh.

"Lance." She tried to lift off him but he kept her centered over his hips and managed to force her to straddle him more fully. His hardness only seemed to grow.

"Just say yes." He begged.

She wiggled around his lap as the blush crawled up her neck.

His lips twisted into a wolfish smile. "So, it is my little red riding hood. That is a yes?"

The blush only spread further until her forehead burned crimson.

Lance used his legs to roll her even more across his lap as he pulled up her shirt to reveal her precious flesh. He continued to work until he stripped her to her undergarments. He raised an eyebrow at the lace and little bows that adorned her pale pink bra.

"Don't laugh. I thought it was cute when I purchased."

He smiled and kissed the tops of breast along the ribbon of lace. From her feet to her hair her skin was on fire.

One hand still held her thigh as the other slide behind her back. Nimble fingers unhinged the contraption freeing her breast. They fell softly in all their glory. Silence fell as Lance stared at them for a moment.

"They look smaller."

The red mark bloomed on his cheek and her palm stung.

His eyes met hers. "Do I have you hold your wrist again?"

"You should learn to hold your tongue."

"You don't have to worry; my tongue will be occupied soon." He began to kiss the exposed skin as the free hand went to finger the elastic of her panties.

He lifted off the milky flesh for another question.

"Why don't they match?"

"What?" she hissed. _He better not mean what I thought he said. God,_ _Why does he bother talking to me? He is so much better when he keeps his mouth shut. _He mind rambled.

"The undergarments. I thought they were supposed to…" he trailed off reattaching himself to her skin.

"Oh. You can buy them in sets, but it is not a requirement." She curtly replied

He hummed against her skin accepting the answer as he hooked his thumb into the elastic.

"Are you fond of them?" He oh-so-innocently inquired. Beneath her, his hips began rocking slowly back and forth to some internal rhythm. Ilana understood his question now.

"I'll slip them off. You don't have to rip them."

"But it would be so much faster." His continued rocking motion sent a shiver down her spine.

"It will give us both some time to um… undress." She lifted off of him as best she could until his hands set her free. She rose and turned away.

He casually leaned back so he could be propped up by his elbows. Lance watched curiously.

"Strip," she said as she hooked her own thumbs in her underwear and looked back at the man over her shoulder.

"Is that an order, princess?" He sounded like he was holding back a laugh. She frowned

"It is."

He smiled now enjoying her game. "Yes, Ma'am." He tried to sound as respectful as he could but his smile showed his true feelings. In a swift motion he could free himself of his only clothing. He returned to his relaxed sprawl upon the bed.

Ilana blushed and avoided looking at his um… sword. She turned her back to him and slid down her panties and quickly stepped out. Before she could even turn back around. He purred out, "What is your next order, my princess."

"Lay down, Corporal."

He pulled himself up to the pillows, and he laid out unashamed of his body. He had cockily followed her orders.

Ilana carefully climbed over the man so she could lightly straddle his hips without sitting in his lap. She leaned over and began to kiss down his center of his chest, where there was only a light touch of hair. Her kisses ghosted lower.

"Ilana." He growled exposing more skin his hip began to bob to the rhythm.

"Hush." She smirked against his skin, and he grunted in response, his hungry fingers began to rub circles into her thighs that left the skin raw and red. "We move at my pace, Lance." She practically sang against him.

He leaned up to nip at her ear, and Ilana gasped as a hot tongue brushed her earlobe. His hips naturally lifted a few inches and Lance lined up his slow rocking pace continued. Ilana slowly sat back onto Lance and allowed him to enter.

His hands stayed on her thighs to keep her from lifting off and her hands on his biceps prevented him from sitting to far up. They kept each other at a rigid distant as they made the best of gravity.

It might have started slow but his pace only sped up to match her heart rate. Their breathing became erratic as his pace increased. One of his hands stopped abusing her thigh to touch her lower. His used his thumb to brush a button. That was positivity electricity.

Ilana moaned as he hit some spot so deep. He moan only set him off as he rocked even faster.

"L-L" She moaned but could never finish the name the feeling had built to high for Ilana.

It washed over her first and Lance had to continue pound in a few more times until he was able to find his release.

The teens collapsed and Lance managed to turn her away so he could wrap around her back.

"Ilana." His voice was heavy; he nuzzled the nape of her neck. "Can we agree on something?"

"Hm?" She shifted closer to his chest.

"You quit cheerleading, but keep the skirt."

She laughed. "I don't think you learned your lesson."

He kissed her neck as his arms tightened around her. "You can tell me again later. I need a nap."

A/N: Thanks for reading this is really one of my first attempts at this kind of story.


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